Your Professional Branding Strategist

Tag: Job Search (page 1 of 3)

Interviewing is a big topic! In part 1 , we covered interview prep. In this post, I’ll take you through recruiter-tested best practices for executing a great interview.

Good interviews begin with great preparation, followed by confident execution.

You wouldn’t believe how many folks ‘wing it’, taking a quick look at the company website and job description. By observing these guidelines, you’ll automatically stand out. Ready?

Be prepared! Taking time to do your homework is hugely important. It shows respect for the interviewers’ time and also helps you be on your game. You get one opportunity to make a good first impression ~ this is it! For more on how to ace your interview prep, click here to read part 1of this series.

Bring something to write on. Get a decent-looking $20 portfolio
at Target or Walgreens. Black or gray, preferably. Having a
professional-looking portfolio sets you apart from the people who show up
empty-handed or with a spiral-bound notebook.

In it, you should have a legal pad and pen (test the pen beforehand). Bring a
copy of your resume, too. We may not ask to see it, but having it available can
be reassuring if you tend to freeze up in an interview. Also, jot a few of your
key points and questions down on the pad. Use the pad to take a few notes, but
don’t spend a lot of time writing when you’re interviewing – it’s distracting.

Be a little early. Not 20-30 minutes early. Arriving
5-10 minutes before your interview is ideal. If you get here earlier, wait somewhere
else (in your car, in a nearby coffee shop, etc.) for a bit.

A word about scent. For an interview, leave the
cologne or perfume off. Noses become accustomed to fragrance, and yours may be
overpowering even if you can’t smell it. If you’re a smoker, is there a product
to magically erase the smell of that last pre-interview cig? We can smell it
even if you can’t. And pop a breath mint on your way in.

Know who you’re meeting. Ask for your interviewer using their
first AND last names.

Silence your phone. Better yet, shut it off before the interviewer picks you up.

Be nice to the front desk person.
Sometimes we check to see how you treated them. Don’t be that person who’s
charming to their interviewers but dismissive or rude to the front desk person.

Have a good handshake. Firm, with palms connecting fully. Make eye contact and smile. Don’t
squeeze too hard (or too limply). Don’t hang on too long or use your other hand
to grab the person’s arm (creepy).

Wait to situntil
the interviewer’s seated or asks you to have a seat. If you’re interviewing in
a conference room, choose a chair at one of the long sides of the table rather
than at either end of the table.

Smile. Your body will take the cue to relax a bit. Also, our brains work
better when we’re somewhat relaxed. And breathe. You don’t need to keep a fake
smile plastered on, but do check in to see what your face is doing.

Be authentic. If you get super nervous in
interviews, it’s OK to say so (once, at the beginning of the interview).
If you’re really excited about the position and/or the company, tell them! Mind
your manners while being real, of course. No swearing, no complaining about past bosses
or companies, EVER. Stay professional.

Listen to the questions. If you’re not clear about what’s being asked, say, “I’m not sure what’s being asked. Could you give me a little more detail (or an example), please?” Answer directly without rambling. Use relevant examples.

Watch the interviewers’ body language: are they nodding? Smiling? Then your answer has landed. If they’re looking confused, ask, “Did I answer your question? Do you need more information?” If they’re looking distracted or bored, it’s time to stop talking. Some companies use the STAR technique to interview candidates (we used it at Prime Therapeutics). If you’re not familiar, learn about it here.

Have some of your own questions. Choose 1-2 from this list (jot them down in your portfolio):

What
brought you here?

What
was your biggest surprise/challenge?

How
will you know you’ve hired the right person for this position?

What
would you expect me to accomplish in the first 6 months?

What’s
your timeline for filling this position?

What
would the rest of the interview process look like?

Based
on what we’ve talked about, do you think I’d be a fit for this position? Or (my favorite):

Do
you have any concerns about my experience that I can address while we’re
together?

Aaaaaand make sure your questions are relevant to the interview. For example, ask job-specific questions of the hiring manager: “What technical skills will I use most?” “What will the person you hire need to accomplish in the first 30/60/90 days?” or “What’s the team like?” If you’re meeting with your prospective manager’s boss, go a little more strategic: “What is this team’s longer term goal?”

Save questions about time off, telecommuting or benefits for your Human Resources interview. In depth compensation and benefits conversations come at the end of the process, usually with HR.

Help the interviewer. Sometimes interviews go off track and the key points (ie. your skills and experience) don’t get discussed. No kidding, I’ve heard candidates say, “It was a great conversation, but we never even covered the job or my skills!”

If this is happening in your interview, it’s up to you to mention your experience even if they don’t. You’ve prepared some examples – mention them, politely, of course, before the interview is over.

When compensation comes up, say, “I’m looking for
competitive pay. Can you give me an idea of the salary for this position,
please?” In our initial talent
acquisition phone interviews, we always ask about salary expectations. We’re
just making sure we’re in the same range.

Later on, after all interviews are completed and you’re at offer stage, get
answers to all your compensation questions. Ask about the cost of benefits
& when they become available, whether there are bonuses and when they’re
paid out (and the company’s track record for paying them), typical merit
increase (usually 2-4%), education reimbursement, and paid time off.

PHONE INTERVIEWS

Be prepared, same as an in-person interview.
You have to work a little harder to engage your interviewer, since you can’t
rely on physical cues. Make sure the phone connection is clear, you’re in a
quiet spot, and that you’re not driving or otherwise distracted.

Be standing when you answer the call.
There’s a physiology behind this: when seated, our diaphragms are compressed.
When we stand, our diaphragms help project sound more fully, making us sound
energetic and engaging. You can sit down after that, if you want.

Answer like you’re at your desk. “Hi, this is <your name>” not, “Hello?” Do your
best to sound professional, alert, and ready to have a great conversation.

Smile. A smile is noticeable over the phone. And be sure to thank the
interviewer and let them know you’re interested before you sign off (if you
are, that is).

Remember, you’re interviewing the company, too:
Pay attention as you wait for your interviewer. Do people seem energized,
happy, friendly? Is the front desk person professional ? How about the interviewers?
Do they seem prepared and intentional? Do they know who/what they’re looking
for? Are they forthcoming in sharing information? Is interview feedback
provided? Do you like them?

When the interview is finished, thank the
interviewer(s). You’ve just met a new connection, even if you’re not going to
work together. If you’re excited about this opportunity, say so.

You
can sign off by asking one last question, about timing. “When do you think
you’ll know about next steps?” or “When do you think you’ll have interview
feedback?” This reinforces your interest and will set the cadence for your
follow up, which I’ll cover in part 3, “After the Interview”.

Oh, you do this in winter too? Sure you do. In winter, I still spend time outside daily (I own four horses that need care, plus I love to ski). But it’s not the summertime dallying-until-dark-at-10pm.

Which brings two (seasonal) points to mind:

Is there an optimal time to launch a job search?

Summer: the art of not doing much

I’ve noticed distinct cycles to hiring activity (exception: software developers, who can waggle an eyebrow and get swarmed). How quickly things move depend on budgets (funded) and managers (in the office + able to interview) and need (definite).

For us non-developers, the hiring seasons look like this:

January: New budgets are being finalized and released. Once everyone’s back in the office after the holiday hiring doldrums, activity resumes. A very good time to launch your search.

February-March-April-May-June: There’s plenty of hiring activity; budgets are plentiful and new initiatives need to be staffed. Another good time to be active in your job search.

July-August: Activity slows: summer vacations and in August, people are getting kids ready for school. Not a great time to launch your search;

September – October – early November: Once school is back in session, hiring activity picks up and continues steadily until Thanksgiving (or until budgets run out, whichever comes first). A good time to be looking, as long as there’s still budget;

Thanksgiving – end of December: Probably the worst time to launch a job search. Hiring activity grinds to a halt as budgets are depleted and holiday season hits.

So there ARE optimal times to launch your search (unless you’re not working, in which case every season is a necessary one). If you’ve interviewed and haven’t heard anything, check the calendar: the season may be the reason.

Summertime, especially July and August, is probably the worst time to launch a job search.

Rather than being frustrated, hold off! Enjoy the warm weather and longer days. Spend time with family and friends. The people you want to connect with aren’t thinking about hiring, not really. They’re vacationing and getting kids ready for school.

How to deal with stuck
(because sometimes it feels like it’ll last forever)

Have you ever been doing everything right in a job search and then suddenly and for no apparent reason things came to a screeching halt?

You got your resume & LinkedIn profile all spiffed up, discreetly let a few friends and former co-workers know you were on the market. You found great jobs & applied to them. Had an interview or two, maybe even the promise of an offer. Things were going great. “What’s all the fuss?” you wondered, “This is easy!”

And then, ghosted.

It happens without warming: a search that’s humming along nicely goes silent. Nobody replies to emails (or worse, you get an inane hard-to-interpret reply). Offers are stalled, all activity just STOPS for no reason.

It can be freaky. Because Waiting is the Worst.

You want to know what you did wrong. Did the market change and now the job’s being done by robots? Naturally, you want to DO something to end the torture and shake things loose.

This probably won’t surprise you, but job hunting is a lot like DATING: it’s designed to rattle you to your core (kidding, not kidding).

But seriously

Don’t take it personally. Stuck happens. Sometimes it has zero to do with you. Hiring is important, but when a company has an ‘all hands on deck’, candidate interviews are the first thing to get pushed back. So maybe it’s not you, it’s them.

Date around. Give your mission a little time off (you’ll know when you’re ready to get back to it, because your curiosity and enthusiasm will return).

Once you’re not feeling even the slightest bit pissed off or stuck, take a tiny step forward. Do something silly, like applying for a job you’d never consider: zookeeper or barista or dog park attendant.

See, you have to show yourself it’s not all that heavy and serious. Like “Tag, you’re it”, then you let it go. Forget about it. A playful touch is super important. Like in dating, “I’m interested, but I don’t NEED you.”

Repeat. And keep having fun, staying curious, not being in a rush.

Remind yourself you have valuable skills and that things always work out: yup, even when there seems to be no movement.
Because you do, and they do.

Those are arugula sprouts, by the way. I love arugula. You know what else? Seeds take time to germinate. Just like the efforts you’re putting into your search (or dating).

We get tons of social cues to push on (damn Puritan work ethic). So it’s not your fault for wanting to muscle through.

But for god’s sake, when you’re stuck, take a break, will you? PS. you’re not really stopping, you’re just pausing. You’re resting a bit to let things unfold in the best possible way.

Does your professional brand need some love? Here’s a link to my calendar for a free 15-minute intro conversation.

The old ‘post-and-pray’ model (where Talent Acquisition publishes a job on the company ‘Careers’ page and HOPES that the right candidate applies) doesn’t work well.

We still post, of course, but we’re also reaching out to candidates and actively recruiting them.

‘Apply-and-pray’, the job seeker’s equivalent to ‘post-and-pray’, doesn’t work well either (unless you’re a mid-level developer). You might get lucky if you’re one of the early applicants. But especially at manager- and director-levels, your resume might not even get read unless you’re in the first wave.

I think the way we go about finding a new job needs to evolve.

That’s where marketing steps in.

You’ve heard of marketing campaigns, right? Companies create and run a series of visibility-raising programs to launch new products or to sell more of something.

In other words, while ‘apply-and-pray’ is a possible method (except, hope is not a strategy), there are other more-proactive (and interesting) routes to take.

Here are three:

Create your professional brand

Which problems do you most often get asked to solve? What kind of work do you love doing (and get paid for, of course)? Where are you happiest and most effective? What are you known for? How do you want to be known?

And do you know what? 99% said they got connected through someone they knew.

The real scoop on using cover letters today

quiz: use a Cover letter (pick one):

a) always;
b) never (they’re old-fashioned);
c) to hammer home why you’re a perfect fit for the job;
d) a and c;
e) b

I know, right?

Back when resumes were snail-mailed, a cover letter was an integral part of the application process, a genteel ‘nice to meet you.’ Today’s online applications have kicked cover letters to the job-hunting curb. Mostly.

So when DO you use a cover letter? What should it say? And to whom should it be addressed?

correct Answer:

use a cover letter when it’s not immediately apparent why you’re the right person for this job.

For example:

Location (you live out of commute range): use a cover letter to briefly address:

What brings you to our fair state? (ie. to be near family, partner got a job or grad school placement here).We recruiters are leery of relocating someone JUST for a job, especially when Minnesota has things like…winter;

Timing (will you find a job FIRST, then move? How soon do you expect to be local?);

Will you be visiting the new metro (ie. be able to interview) before your move?

Are you looking for a relocation package (we’ll ask anyhow)?

Job pivot : When you’re applying for a job that’s different than the ones you’ve held, help us connect the dots. Use a cover letter to address the reason why your skills/experience are a fit (tweak your resume, too).

Stepping down: From CIO to director, manager to sole contributor. Again, help us understand. Keep it short, acknowledging that you’re applying to a less-weighty role. Focusing on the value (experience) you can add while dialing your work responsibilities back, ie. “I’m ready to move from a leading role to a supporting role.”

That’s the ‘when’;
Some tips on what to say

Select 1-2 key requirements from the job description (don’t just match years of experience ~ find something juicier: talk about similar industry, company size, growth trajectory or how you’ve successfully tackled issues your target company may be facing);

Craft a couple of sentences about your experience as it relates to those requirements (ie. “with experience creating scalable processes within a rapidly-growing company, my background should be a good fit.”

And to whom

Do a quick LinkedIn search on the company you’re applying to. Can you figure out who the hiring manager is? If so, address it to that person and say something like, “Based on my research, it seems likely that this position reports to you.”

If you can’t figure out who the hiring manager is, see if the job is posted on LinkedIn. If it is, who’s the recruiter listed as ‘point of contact’? Use that name. If there isn’t a recruiter named, address your cover letter to ‘Talent Acquisition’ or ‘<company name> Recruiter’ or ‘Hiring Team’.

put it all together: A template
(you’re welcome)

<Date>

<first last>
<title, department>
<company name>
<city state>

RE: <position title + job / requisition number from the company’s Careers page, if you have it>

Hi, <first name>,

I hope your week’s off to a great start. I’m very interested in being considered for the role of <insert job title> at <insert company name>. With my <insert relevant skill #1>, <insert relevant skill or industry experience> + <insert soft skill>, my background should be a good fit.

When it’s time to change workplaces, the question most people ask is, “Where do I find my new job?”

We gravitate to Careers pages on company websites, search LinkedIn, or head to the job boards. It’s pretty easy to search for a title, spend a few minutes applying / connecting / asking. The hard part is the waiting for a response. Lordy, the waiting is the hardest part.

But what if we changed the question? Instead of “where do I find my new job?” what if we asked, “Where do I find my new leader?”

I think looking for a new leader is a much more interesting proposition.

In the traditional sense of looking for a job, we match skills and requirements. The leader is kind of an afterthought.

When the new leader is a focal point of a job search, the skills and requirements are still there, but the whole question is elevated: who do I know that I’d love to work for? Who have I worked for in the past that I’d really like to partner with again? Who in my current circle of acquaintances knows someone? Who’s a thought leader? Which companies foster a culture of engagement and innovation?

Looking for a new leader could also mean finding a different leader within your current company. If you’re generally happy with your workplace but need a change, could you network internally onto a new team?

Or how about this: who’s solving interesting problems?

The only way you’re going to find out for sure is to start asking around. Sleuthing, making connections, following the thread.

Recruiters do this all the time ~ we find out where the fire is: who’s changing technologies | growing | shedding | transforming? That’s where the interesting work is.

Find that, and then figure out how to get their attention. Know your value proposition. Come with an idea of how the application of your unique skills and experience can contribute.

The most-satisfied seekers are doing more than just looking for their next job. They’re finding great leaders and interesting problems they can help solve.

I help people who are 10+ years into their careers better-tell their professional story. Struggling with yours? Here’s a link to my calendar. Let’s see if we’re a fit.

For many people, writing (especially a resume) is right up there with a root canal.

Assembling details, knowing what to include, and finding the right words to describe one’s professional achievements is…tedious. It can feel like (uncomfortable) self-promotion. Also, there might be awkward gaps and regrettable choices, and now they’re being put on display.

But being seen is unavoidable when job-seeking. Or when ramping up a side business or making a foray into public speaking, for example. Take comfort in knowing that 99% of the population feels the same way (cringey), and then tell your professional story anyhow.

I recommend the following:

Meet your reader where they are: to tell a good story, assume your reader knows practically nothing. If you’ve read any of the Harry Potter books, you’ll recall that JK Rowling takes time in each to thoroughly describe the setting and to review what happened in the previous book. She brings her readers up to speed with context.

Do the same with your resume: what kind of business do you work for? How many people are there? What’s the annual revenue? Is it global? National? Local? Paint a word picture. Details are important to give context: what size team were you on/did you manage? What is/was the budget you manage(d), what’s the scale and scope of your work? Include accomplishments, ROI, and measurable impacts like $/time saved or efficiencies /profitability gained.

Your first resume draft should be a brain dump: get it all out. Then, revise (which brings us to step 2):

Use the best (word) ingredients: Alice Waters is a Northern California chef who’s known for her exquisite, simple food. Her secret: in recipes with just a few ingredients, use only the freshest and best.

How does that translate to a resume? Here’s how: once you’ve written a first draft, read it out loud. Be on the lookout for redundancy (words or phrases repeated). Find different ways to say things. Get rid of stock phrases that have little meaning. If you’re drawing a blank, Google ‘thesaurus’ to help get you thinking. Slow down a little, and be discerning. When you find adjectives that describe you/your work aptly, use those.

Very important side note: avoid using overly dramatic words. Let others use “visionary”, “vast”, “outstanding”, or “authentic” to describe you. When you apply them to yourself, they sound hollow and self-promoting. Meaningful (and true, not trite) words carry your resume.

Finally,

When you think you’re dressed, take off one piece: Coco Chanel, an early 20th century fashion disrupter, OWNED simplicity. In an era when fussy fashion was the norm, her minimalistic style stood out. Do the same with your resume.

Cluttered, busy, overly full resumes are overwhelming. OVERWHELMING DOES NOT GET READ.

When you think you’ve finished writing your resume, find things that don’t need to be there. Ask yourself, “Does it add value? Does it contribute to the picture I’m trying to paint?”

If not, be ruthless and TAKE IT OFF. Keep sentences and paragraphs short. Use space to your advantage ~ it will emphasize your well-chosen words and phrases. White space invites your reader in.

A resume is an appetizer, intended to whet interest and declare relevancy. It’s a preamble to the meal (the interview, the job offer). It’s not the meal itself (or the entire story of your career).

When you remember to tell your professional story using context, simplicity, and the best ingredients, you’ll stand out.

Congratulations! Your professional brand’s in place: your resume’s tuned up and you’re happy with your LinkedIn profile. Now what?

Here are some guidelines to help you get visible:

LinkedIn

Use the rule of “ABA”: Always Be Adding to your LinkedIn connections. Make it a habit to send a connection request to every new person you meet.

Beef up your connections: invite former workmates, leaders, vendors; people you volunteered with to connect (use your resume to help trigger your memory).

Ask for LinkedIn recommendations from the people who know your work. You can even write a ‘suggested recommendation’ ~ they’ll appreciate it (makes it easier for them) and you’ll get a more-specific accolade.

Be a regular on LinkedIn (daily is great, relevant is key) and…

Preserve your brand: be mindful of what you’re ‘liking’ and sharing on LinkedIn. A good rule of thumb is 2 professional ‘likes’ or shares + 1 local- or professional-interest ‘like’ or share. It shouldn’t be all about business. What do you want to be known for? Let that guide you.

LinkedIn articles are a great way to stand out. Write a 500-word piece about a problem you/your team solved, a technology you’re exploring, a learning you’ve had in blending teams through M&A, a new idea, a personal experience around job interviewing or even a bad boss experience. Use an image (royalty free ~ you can find lots of them at www.pexels.com). Post & repeat. Note: I help clients with ghostwriting or editing/proofreading their LinkedIn (or other) articles.

Expanding Your Circle

Be intentional. Make it your (fun) mission to see who and what’s ‘out there’. Tell yourself it’ll be interesting. Keep it light but focused. Make it an experiment and follow the threads. Whatever (time, attitude, expectations) you put in will impact your results.

Do some strategic networking. Think about the places where your next leader is likely to be. Ask others for recommendations of networking groups if you’re not sure. Find some likely targets. Go there.

Start & curate a list of target companies, the kind who’d benefit from your experience and that would offer you more satisfaction. Once you have your list, follow the company on LinkedIn, find out who’s running and working for them, and start building relationships.

Ask people you know for introductions. Vendors know lots of people. So do most recruiters. Don’t be shy. If there’s someone you want to meet, figure out how to meet them with a warm connection ~ someone you already know.

Invite someone you’d like to know better to coffee or lunch. When I want to learn about a new technology, I’ll invite them out. People generally like to talk about what they do, and someone with a genuine interest is, well, irresistible.

Even if you’ve let networking and LinkedIn sit on the back burner while (it seems like) everyone else was connecting, don’t worry ~ it’s fixable!

Use this strategy to get caught up.

GOT QUESTIONS?
WANT TO SEE IF WE’RE A FIT?

3 Insights to Help You Maintain Balance

You’ve been let go: your company eliminated your position, your performance wasn’t up to par, layoffs happened. Most of us prefer being the one to decide to leave, but sometimes it happens: we get dumped.

It’s impossible to control the exact timing of finding your next job, but here are three things that are within reach:

1. Keep Calm and Carry On: Process your emotions, especially if this came as a surprise. Mourn, rage, do whatever you need to do. But then, be done dwelling in the story. A therapist I once knew said, “You get to tell the story twice. Beyond that, you’re just flooding your system with stress hormones every time you repeat it. Move on.”

Susan’s VP job was eliminated. She’s got money saved, and her credentials are strong. Her biggest question was, “At what point should I panic?” Er, NEVER. People will step on each others’ faces to get away when the stink of desperation wafts up.

Desperate people often end up taking irrational action, like applying for all the open jobs at a company, even the ones they’re not qualified for (a surefire credibility-buster). Don’t be desperate.

Ratchet up your self-care: get enough sleep, spend time with encouraging people, get outside, move your body, eat good food, and tell yourself, “It’s okay” and “Things always work out for me.” Do this as often as you need to. Then, put Step 2 into action:

2. Stay busy. Give yourself assignments like ‘attend four Meetups in my area of interest every week’ and ‘have networking coffees with three new people’ and ‘find and apply to six appropriate jobs’.

Take a part-time job or a consulting gig to have some cash coming in (this is incredibly empowering).

Learn something you’ve been curious about but never had the time (extra points if it’s career-enhancing). Write and publish an e-book, volunteer at your kids’ school, help out at a food shelf or homeless shelter (you’ll feel incredibly fortunate). Run a GoFundMe for a cause you believe in. Start a new fitness program. One outplacement coach tells his clients to lose five pounds: the discipline and feeling of accomplishment shores up their confidence.Also (this is very important): take time to have fun!

3. Stare the fear down. If you’re awakened at 3am by panic at not having a job, here’s what you do: make an appointment with yourself to think about it in detail at 3pm tomorrow. Then, do your best to go back to sleep. NOTHING gets solved at 3am.

At 3pm the next day, reverse-engineer it, diving into worst-case scenarios: what would happen if you didn’t get a job? Maybe you wouldn’t be able to pay your bills. But would you get hauled off to debtors’ prison? Nope. Maybe you wouldn’t be able to buy groceries. Is there a food shelf in town? Maybe you would lose your place to live. Do you have friends or family who’d take you in?

Go all the way with your fear. Really feel it. Is it likely that any of those scenarios would actually play out? Even if they did, would you die? Not likely.

Trust me: it’s OKAY to have gaps in your work history. It’s OKAY to pivot into a different job, it’s OKAY to take a bridge job. It’s OKAY to lose a job because a company downsized or closed its doors. It’s even OKAY to get fired (but, naturally, don’t make a habit of this).

Losing a job can feel awful. It can make you doubt yourself or question your value. It can also be an opportunity for reflection and growth. By being launched “out there” into the job market, you’ll learn things you didn’t even know you were missing. People will step up to help in ways you couldn’t imagine, and you’ll emerge stronger and surer.

You’ve got this. And these three insights will help you handle the challenge with grace.

Need to talk with someone who’s been-there-done-that and who can offer some clarity? Here’s a link to my calendar for a 15-minute, no-strings-attached call.

One of the most cringe-y activities I can think of is <insert dramatic movie music here> a networking happy hour. First, because it’s hard to hear people talk over the din. Second, happy hours tend to be pretty superficial. And finally, all I want at the end of the day is to get home and unwind.

Happily, there are lots of other ways to put the word out.

Here are five to get you started:

Have a clear message: I think it’s important to have a clear idea of the kind of job/company you’re seeking. “Confidentially, I’m looking for a senior director or VP role in a manufacturing firm that’s headquartered in the Twin Cities” is more actionable than “I’m looking for a new job”. Of course, if you’re not working and anything will do, your message can be just that. But assuming you’re currently working and that you have time to be strategic, clarity will get you farther.

Start with your inner circle: Tell family members and close friends “Confidentially, I’m looking for a senior director or VP role in a manufacturing firm that’s headquartered in the Twin Cities”, followed by a question: “Who do you know that works for this kind of company?” Maybe they don’t have an answer today, but your question will have them thinking. Check back with them periodically to see what bubbles up.

Touch base with former co-workers: maybe you’ve lost touch with them, but there’s a group of people that you’d love to reconnect with, and now’s the time. Use LinkedIn to find them. What are they up to these days? How can you help them? And of course, let them know, “Confidentially, I’m looking for a senior director or VP role in a manufacturing firm that’s headquartered in the Twin Cities” followed by “Who do you know that works for this kind of company?” Again, they may not have a contact for you today, but check back. And be sure to offer your help.

Be curious about people outside of work: your network is larger than you realize, but maybe it needs a little cultivating. Notice and take an interest in the people you see at places other than work: at kids’ activities, at the gym, at sporting or cultural events, standing in line at the coffee shop, at church, during volunteer activities. Take an interest: What do they do? Where do they work? Can you connect them with anyone in your network?

Dale Carnegie said it best: “To get what you want, help someone else get what they want.”

5. Get yourself out of your comfort zone: no, I’m not suggesting networking happy hours (but be my guest if there’s one that calls to you!). Here are some ideas, though, for putting yourself in a target-rich environment: industry events, Meetup groups (find a topic that’s related to your career), focus groups, civic causes, fundraising for non-profit organizations. For best results, choose something that genuinely interest you. Authenticity is irresistible.

When you’re thinking about buying a certain kind of car, have you noticed that suddenly you see them everywhere? Well, once you start thinking about networking as more than a cringey happy-hour activity (and begin taking action), you’re going to find all kinds of interesting people. Some that will even help you get closer to that shiny new J.O.B.

Happy connecting!

If you’re NOT ready to begin networking (ie. you need help with professional branding), I’m your gal! Click here to get started on your new-and-improved resume + LinkedIn profile.

Not sure if we’re a fit yet? Let’s chat!
Here’s a link to my calendar for a no-pressure-no-strings-attached intro call.